OBHS roll on the up as year 9 numbers soar 84%

After a major decline in its roll in recent years, Otago Boys' High School appears to be bouncing back with an 84% increase in year 9 pupils forecast for next year.

Rector Richard Hall said the school was expecting 184 year 9 pupils to attend in 2017, which would be the school's biggest year 9 roll since 2010.

As a result, he expected the school's overall roll to increase to about 740.

During the past decade, the roll peaked in 2011 with 930 pupils, but dropped to 719 last year.

Much of the roll growth could be attributed to the improvements the school had made, and the team of people who had created a strong educational environment, Mr Hall said,

Another factor, he believed, was he had now settled into the rector's role and public confidence in the school had increased.

''It's being second year in the job. People pretty much wait in your first year to see if it's all flash in the pan stuff, to see if you're actually going to be any good [as a principal].

''The team I've got, with the new deputy principal and various other people, has certainly helped to make the school an attractive proposition for parents.''

Mr Hall said the sudden roll increase was not a surprise.

''We were definitely aiming for it. We have concentrated on doing the job right in our own school - and I think that has helped - and statistically, the numbers are coming from my area, if you know what I mean. Statistically, they're coming from our side of town.''

The statement is a reference to the school's perception large numbers of pupils in its area were being taken by King's High School.

King's High School rector Dan Reddiex said he was expecting to enrol more than 200 year 9 pupils again next year, which would be ''on a par'' with previous years.

''Despite the fact that our numbers have remained stable, we will still have the largest intake of year 9 students in Dunedin again next year, for about the fifth consecutive year,'' he said.

Other Dunedin secondary schools expecting a year 9 roll increase next year are Queen's High School, with 33%; Logan Park High School, with 14%; and Bayfield High School, with 8%.

Kaikorai Valley College principal Rick Geerlofs said the number of year 9 pupils at his school next year were expected to be similar to previous years. However, year 7 numbers would be up on previous years, he said.

Taieri College principal David Hunter said his year 9 intake would be similar to previous years, but was surprised to see an unexpected increase in year 10 pupils enrolling next year.

He put the increase down to more ''people moving into the area and the college's fabulous reputation''.

Principals at Otago Girls' High School, Kavanagh College, Columba College, John McGlashan College and St Hilda's Collegiate School said their rolls would remain the same as previous years.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz